Counting Crows Poem

On the night of my wedding, my best friend's younger brother wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked me, “It’s a little big. Can you handle it?” I stared at his perfectly defined abs, my mind going completely blank. “What?” He repeated, “Can you handle it?” My voice jumped an octave from my panic. “Aren't we supposed to take things slow? Isn’t this way too fast?” That night, the sound-activated lights in the house flickered on and off until dawn. Meanwhile, my ex-husband was squatting downstairs. His eyes were swollen red from crying, but I did not even spare him a thought. Back then, when I agreed to let him proceed with a fake wedding with his childhood sweetheart, Miles Carter thought our cold war was over. When he explained things to me, he said, “Vivian and I will only be married on paper. The ceremony is just to satisfy my mom. I swear, when this is over, we’ll live as a real couple.” I remained silent. I just stared at the countdown on my phone, counting the days until I could finally leave. He did not know that the moment he tricked me into signing the divorce papers, our marriage had already ceased to exist.

What happens when a food-obsessed blogger dies mid-bite and wakes up as the royal psychiatrist to a Lycan king who’s one bad day away from burning the kingdom down? Ariana never asked to be Lady Elena Voss: ice-cold healer by day, assassin by night, and—thanks to a cosmic clerical error—the fated mate of King Kael Draven, a man whose mind is a battlefield and whose violent alter ego is counting down to total takeover. Kael can hear every single one of her unfiltered thoughts: the panic, the food cravings, the 3 a.m. Reddit scrolls, the running commentary about how stupidly hot he is. And somehow, her chaos is the only thing keeping him halfway human. But Elena’s old life isn’t staying buried. Old enemies remember her blades. Her emotionless little sister is hiding something behind those blank blue eyes. And the snarky blue orb feeding her “missions” might not be what it seems. As the mate bond tightens and Kael’s darkness claws closer, two questions burn louder than the rest: What if the thing she was sent here to heal… is the very thing that will kill her? Can a girl with zero qualifications, a Reddit addiction, and a possessed wolf pup save a broken king— or will his monster claim her first?

For seven years, I love Cody Rummish, clinging to his promise—once his sister-in-law, Luna Briche, conceives, our ordeal ends, and we finally begin our married life. But reality betrays me. Just months after moving into his home, Cody slips into Luna's bedroom 88 times—starting with once a month, now nearly one or two visits daily. Every night, I sit in the downstairs living room, counting the minutes, clutching a flicker of unrealistic hope. As the sole heir after his twin brother's fatal plane crash, Cody inherits not just power and wealth but also, seamlessly, his brother's widow, Luna. After the 88th visit, Luna announces her pregnancy. But instead of Cody honoring his promise, a public declaration shatters me—he will formally marry Luna. I unravel, demanding answers. Silent, Cody locks me in the bedroom's walk-in closet. "Luna was trapped in an elevator for 30 minutes! She nearly died because of you! Stay here for five days. Feel her fear!" Only on the sixth morning does Cody casually open the door with a chuckle. "Alright, lesson learned. Time to apologize, right?" He finds only the stench of blood and my cold, lifeless body. He's killed the fiancée who's loved him for seven years.

It was the night of my husband's and my third anniversary, and I had gotten home early. I caught him in bed with another woman—for the tenth time. But unlike the previous times, I did not throw a tantrum. I even closed the door to the master bedroom quietly, not wanting to interrupt. In Scott Jameson's eyes, I had no choice but to tolerate his cheating because I became Mrs. Jameson by getting pregnant with his child. Three months later, he flung divorce papers at me. "My young lover wants me to give her a home and to bear my son. Sign the papers." I looked into his cold, distant eyes and said with conviction, "All right. All I want is custody of our son. I don't want a cent of the Jamesons' money." The court proceedings were difficult, and I was accused of being mentally unstable. Many people made fun of me for not knowing my place. All of Cloverton was waiting for me to humiliate myself, counting the seconds until a nobody like me succumbed to desperation. However, I fought the case with everything I had. Eventually, I was finally able to leave with my son. No one knew that Scott suffered from a serious case of asthenozoospermia. His sperm were completely useless. No other woman could have Scott's baby except me, as I happened to be unusually fertile. My son would be the only heir to the Jameson family legacy.

Everyone in Oceanton knew that mob boss Jared Pierce was deeply in love with me. No one feared my disappearance more than he did. Even if bullets were raining down on him, he'd still find a way to contact me, just to make sure I felt safe. But on the night before our wedding, he didn't come home. When he finally returned, he dropped to his knees, a bruised and weakened woman cradled in his arms. "Rosalia! Melody took the drug just to save me! I can't just watch her die! So I had no choice but to sleep with her." Terrified that I wouldn't forgive him, Jared drew six wounds into his arm. Blood soaked through his shirt in an instant. As soon as the wedding banquet ended, I heard his men chuckling and teasing. "The boss didn't even take off his wedding outfit before rushing to see Melody. Just how seductive is his lover?" Jared’s low, sultry voice followed. "Last time I stayed with her, I didn’t come back for three days and nights. Take a guess." In shock and despair, I called out the system. "I want to leave this world!" The system's cold voice replied, "After your exit, this world will erase all traces of your existence. Counting down… Seven days."

I put three hundred million dollars into building a business for my brother's first love. They were finally getting married. But two hours before the wedding, the maid of honor suddenly went AWOL. To keep the wedding on track, I dropped a major international deal, booked the next flight out, and flew back immediately. When I arrived, my brother hugged me gratefully and handed me the wedding ring along with a gift box — inside was a necklace, a token he'd promised Celeste. "Sis, I'm counting on you to take care of Celeste's side. I know it's a lot to ask, but could you step in as maid of honor today?" But the moment I walked into the bridal suite, my brother's bride slapped me across the face. "You've got some nerve showing up here, you homewrecking bitch." "You think you can steal my husband at my own wedding? Are you out of your mind?" "Celeste, I think there's been a misunderstanding. I’m Alexander’s sister…" I tried to explain. "Who the hell are you kidding?! My sister-in-law runs a billion-dollar empire. A tramp like you could never." "You want to steal my husband? Fine. Let's see how tough you really are." And just like that, I was tied up and thrown into a pen with a vicious dog. Celeste Davenport — if that's how you want to play it, then enjoy your one-way ticket to the hell.

During our New Year’s Eve dinner, I told my family that my company was not giving out year-end bonuses. The table went silent. Even the TV host counting down to midnight suddenly sounded grating. My husband and daughter slammed the table in frustration. “No year-end bonus?! How are we supposed to pay the mortgage and the car loan? I didn’t marry you so you could live off me!” “Other moms either buy designer bags or send money. You’re the most useless one. You can’t even bring home a $100,000 bonus.” My in-laws sat there with dark looks on their faces and said nothing. I looked at their self-righteous faces and felt a lump in my throat. All these years, every expense in this family was paid with the money I earned from late nights, overtime, and project commissions. But all they could see was the $100,000 bonus I did not bring home. “If you can’t make any money, then get out!” My husband grabbed my arm and pushed me toward the door. My daughter was not satisfied and kicked me on the lower back. I did not turn around. I took out my phone and booked the presidential suite at a downtown five-star hotel. My bank account had just received a $1 million dividend payout. It was true that I did not get a year-end bonus. But I got promoted to management. From this day onward, I would receive $1 million in dividends every year.

When Lana signs a marriage contract with the enigmatic Dax Salvatore, she believes she’s securing not just a lifeline but a chance at a new future. Her dreams of life-saving heart surgery come with a staggering price—a commitment to Dax for one year, with a payout of ten million dollars hanging in the balance. It seems like a fair trade until it becomes a tantalizing gamble that intertwines her fate with not just Dax but his fierce and unpredictable brother, Xavier. As the days turn into a whirlwind of shared secrets and unexpected emotions, Lana finds herself caught in a mesmerizing tug-of-war between the brothers—each pulling her further into a world of desire, connection, and conflict. Dax, with his protective charm, promises safety, while Xavier brings a thrill that leaves her questioning everything. Amidst the chaos of their intertwined lives, Lana grapples with what truly matters—her heart’s health or the unexpected love blossoming around her. With stakes mounting and the year counting down, can Lana navigate the complexities of attraction, loyalty, and her own ambitions? Will she emerge with the ten million dollars and the chance for a new life, or will she risk it all for the chance at a love that transforms her in ways she never anticipated? *** "You can't escape us, Lana, we own you," Dax sniffed my neck. But I could not move, Xavier's arms were around me, keeping me in place. "Please, I will pay back every cent that you paid me for the contract," I begged. "No, Lana, we both want to share you. Your contract will be mended," Xavier replied as he breathed on my neck, causing the hair on it to stand up.

Today was supposed to be my marking ceremony. Instead, it became my funeral. Eliza had run me down with her car. She dragged my broken body into the storage room. "Stay here. When the ceremony is over, I'll let you out." She wanted to take my place, to be marked by Greyson, as his Luna. Greyson loved me. But his family could never allow their precious Alpha son to marry a lowborn Omega. "Millie," murmured, his voice thick with guilt. "I have to obey my family and give them an heir first -- with Eliza. You know... she's Alpha blood. "Once the pup turns one, I'll marry you." And I marked the days one by one, counting down to our forever. He claimed it was a mere duty, but but their feverish nights suggested she was his preferred addiction. A month later, Eliza was pregnant. Ten months after that, she bore the Alpha's heir. Another twelve agonizing months dragged by, and finally, it was the day he was supposed to claim me. But now, I was lying here on the floor, my body shattered. Greyson's voice cut through the phone, sharp and impatient. "Why aren't you here yet? Haven't you been desperate to marry me?" "I've let the pup's birthday incident slide -- are you still going to sulk about it?" "If you don't show up, I'll mark Eliza instead." I wasn’t coming, Greyson. I couldn’t -- I was already dead. But he believed I was simply having a tantrum.

Her life knew no purpose until she met him; Her Alpha. Her redemption. Aria was born into poverty. She lives like a normal human, unaware of the existence of werewolves or the supernatural world. Abandoned by an ex-lover, Aria hopes never to fall in love. Her father’s constant gambling habit puts her family in debt to a notorious loan shark and they must find a way to pay up within a short period. Only a miracle can save them. When an arrogant Hayden Slade comes into her life with an offer to bear a child for him, it feels too good to be true. But just maybe, he could be the miracle she prayed for. As the alpha of one of the largest werewolf packs, Alpha Hayden Slade has accomplished almost everything he wants for his pack, but not without a price. For a cursed Alpha counting the days to his death, his greatest challenge is providing an heir for his pack before his demise. But what could be worse than the curse of untimely death? Being mated to a weak Half-blood that has no idea of her identity. A weakling that can never be his Luna. He offers her a deal to bear him an heir, not wanting any form of attachment to a half-human, half-wolf. Catching feelings isn’t a part of the deal, but what happens when he finds out that only she holds the power to break his curse? What happens when Aria discovers the real reason behind his offer and her place in the transaction? With an obsessed ex desperate to become his Luna, and a psychotic enemy who wants to overthrow the Alpha, will their bond stand the test of time? Or will Aria desert her mate when he needs her the most?